


Crepuscular

by ironstatic (eloquentelegance)



Series: 100 Beautiful and Ugly Words [15]
Category: League of Legends
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-01 09:59:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2769053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eloquentelegance/pseuds/ironstatic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>dim, or twilit</p><p>(Lux is fairly sure Jinx is stalking her.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crepuscular

CREPUSCULAR  
 _dim, or twilit_

As the famed Lady of Luminosity, most people would think Lux prefers the brightest hours, like sunrise or a full moon midnight. Most people would be wrong. Lux prefers that odd in between moment, before the stars can shine and after the sun sets. She loves that time when the streetlamps aren't lit but there's no more daylight. It's the hour evening first breathes as the shadows lengthen, spilling across doorsteps to greet those coming home. Lux relishes that moment. The world feels smaller then, emptier too, as if she alone existed. There is no one and therefore, nothing to harm her. It's safe to come out.

She takes walks then. She takes advantage of the shops closing, the avenues clearing, all the people tucked in their houses. She walks and she thinks about nothing and everything. Is there a God? What happens after death? Why does Garen hide in bushes? And here, in these moments, she has herself - her thoughts, her time, her attention - all to herself. She doesn't owe anybody anything. Not a thing.

It is then jarring and painful and flat out rude to be disturbed on her walks. But Jinx never did care for manners or basic human empathy. So there she is, waving, as Lux turns the corner.

"Oh, good Liberty, you are stalking me."

They're in a park. It's one of Lux's favorite walking routes (though she is re-evaluating her preference). Specifically, they're at the playground area of the park. It was long past the hour children went home. There's no one around save for the two of them. Jinx is standing on a swing, idly swaying. Lux looks on from her place by the sandbox.

"No! What makes you think that?" Jinx cackles, throwing all her weight forward. The swing creaks in protest as she sways faster, back and forth and back and forth.

"There is really no other reason for you to be here."

"I could be checking out your playgrounds. I hear Demacia has the best seesaws. Something about scales and justice."

"Will you just go away already?"

"Why? I'm having fun here. Hey, you think I can swing all the way around? Go the full 180?"

"I can call the authorities. I can bind you in place - keep you here till they arrest you."

"Yeah, you could. But you won't."

"How can you be sure?"

Jinx stops her swinging and looks at Lux. "Because you haven't yet."

"It doesn't mean I won't."

"Doesn't mean you will."

Lux grits her teeth. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"We still need to go on our date."

"I never agreed to that."

"You never said no either." Jinx plops down, properly sitting on the swing. "Now get over here and push me."

Lux shouldn't. She really shouldn't indulge the psychopath. She should just walk away, call the police, and head back to her house. Except, she really couldn't, in good conscience, subject others to Jinx. She simply didn't trust non-champions to subdue her effectively. Moreover, any proper attempt at arrest could lead to her violently resisting, which meant rockets, which meant death and destruction on an epic scale. At the very least, if Lux is around, Jinx would be too preoccupied with her and won't go wreaking havoc. Hopefully.

Stepping over the sandbox, Lux heads over to the swing set. "For the record, this is not, in fact, proof of my attraction to you."

"Whatever you say, Flashlight."

It's later now. The stars are out. The streets are lit. Evening has well and truly settled. They are still alone in the playground. For a moment, neither speak. Only the creaking swing fills the silence. A cold breeze brushes past, whispering through the trees, the bushes, the grass. Lux shivers, wondering how Jinx isn't freezing.

As if sensing her thoughts, Jinx speaks up. "Hey, Flashlight."

"What?"

"You should swing with me."

"Why?"

Jinx looks over her shoulder. "Do you really need a reason? Can't you do it just 'cause?"

"I don't want to swing."

"That's a lie. Swinging is the best. And when was the last time you sat on a swing?"

"I don't remember."

"Exactly! So come on already!"

Preferring not to humor Jinx a minute longer, Lux bites her lip. She thumbs through her thoughts, grasping for an excuse. Clearing her throat, she says the first thing that comes to mind.

"Swinging is for children."

Jinx digs her heels in, stopping her momentum. She twists in her seat, staring at Lux in disbelief.

"Oh, really? That's all? Well, I'm swinging, aren't I?"

"Case in point." Lux smirks.

"Excuse you, I am a grown woman."

"Could have fooled me."

Jinx glares at her, nonplussed. "So what? Are you, like, scared or something? Scared someone's gonna walk by and laugh at you?"

Lux blinks. "...No."

"There's no one around, Flashlight. Only me and I promise not to tell."

Lux makes a noise of protest. Jinx pats the swing next to her. Out of excuses, Lux sighs and takes the seat. Jinx laughs with pure, unfiltered glee.

"Next time, come up with a better lie."

Lux smiles wryly. "Was I that obvious?"

"You weren't trying."

Lux raises an eyebrow. "And you would know?"

"Of course!" Jinx beams.

"How - !"

"Hey! Wanna see who can jump the farest?"

Lux looks at Jinx in askance. "What?"

"You know! You swing really high. Then you jump!" Jinx explains, demonstrating with her hands. "Pchooo!"

"I'll take a raincheck."

"Right. Can't ruin your hairdo, or whatever. I get it."

Scowling, Lux glares at Jinx. What the hell, she's gone this far. "Fine. Let's do this."

Jinx whoops. "Okay! On you marks! Get set! Go!"

Lux rolls her eyes and half heartedly starts swinging. Beside her, Jinx practically takes off.

"Oh, come on, Flashlight! You can do better than that!"

Hands curling into fists, Lux pumps her legs faster. The cool evening air whips her face as she picks up speed, swinging higher and higher. The playground dissolves into half lit blurs. The ground peels away. It has been too long. She almost forgot what it was like, and how much she loved it, the way her stomach sinks to her spine, her hair flying in the wind. It's how the earth looks so far and the sky looks so near. It's that one breathless moment she can't tell flying from falling. 

It's as if she's five again. She's five and Garen's ten. His hands, big and warm, push her gently. There's laughter. It's hers and her brother's. They're together, like always, like they have forever. She's five and she doesn't know the Measured Tread or the back alleys of Noxus or the smell of urine and fear. She's five, and the sun is shining, and all she wants is up. Past the clouds, the moon, the stars, she wants nothing else, just up. 

"On the count of three!"

Lux blinks. She's not five. There's no Garen. But Jinx is here.

"One!" Jinx who laughs like she's breathing her last.

"Two!" Jinx with her slashed open grin.

"Three!" Jinx shouts, swinging up and and up and up.

Lux lets go. And for one endless second, she hangs in the air. Her eyes gaze at the sky above and she swears she could touch it. But all too soon, gravity tugs her down and she's rolling, tumbling to the ground, crashing into Jinx.

She'll have bruises tomorrow. She'll come home a mess. Mother will look so disappointed. But that's later. Now, she's laughing like she can't stop, like this moment won't end. Here, in the empty playground, no one sees her eyes well up. No one sees tears fall down her cheeks. No one sees how she laughed so hard for so long she started crying. No one except Jinx. Infuriating, unreasonable, dangerous Jinx. She wraps an around Lux's shoulders, offering what little comfort she can give. And she lets her cry, just cry. She doesn't say a word.

Lux rests her head on Jinx's shoulder and knows. She knows then and there that she's going to say yes. When Jinx asks her out, she's going to say yes. Because she wants this, more moments when she can't tell flying from falling, the gaps where she gives up all control. She wants up, just up. If only for a little while, she thinks, just a little while longer.


End file.
